Sailing terms you need to know before handling a Yacht

Sailing brings a new magic and exquisite experience to your life. Dazzling sun, gazing the wind and tanning your skin are some of the memorable moments that every sailor longs for. Apart from delight, sailing comes with a serious responsibility of safety. A sailor needs to be aware of the every in and out of the boat and how to sail it. If you are a sailor and want to begin your sailing journey, then all you need is to know some important terms before beginning your sail. Knowing the right sailing term can help you to enjoy a safe journey. Here in this article, we are providing some important details to start your sail with these short sailing terms.

Bow and stern

Bow is called the front part of the boat. If you are aware of the famous titanic scene where Jack and Kate had a romantic encounter, that part of the boat is called bow. And the stern is referred to the back of the boat.

Aft and Fore

Aft is referred to the direction towards the stern of the ship, while fore or Midship terms referred to the direction towards the bow of the ship. So, while wondering towards the ship, make it clear on which direction you are heading.

Port and starboard

The left-hand side of the boat is called the port. It is called as a port because whenever you need to get your boat anchored, you will find a port on the left-hand side. No sailor will call the left side of the boat as left side. Apart from Port, starboard is called the right side of the boat.

Leeward and windward

Leeward means going opposite to the direction of the wind. It is also called as lee. While windward stands to sail along with the direction of the wind. So if the captain asks you to sail Leeward, check the wind direction and change your direction against it.

Tacking and jibing

Tracking has two different meaning as a verb and as a noun. If you are considering it as a verb, then to tack means to change the direction by turning the bow of the boat through the wind. And if you are considering it as a noun, then your tack is the course you are sailing your boat. If the wind is blowing over the left side then you are on the port tack, and if the wind is blowing over the right side, then you are on the starboard tack.
Jibing is also called as the way for changing the direction of your boat by bringing the aft of the boat through the wind. Tack or jibe, whatever method of changing direction you choose completely depends on the direction of the wind as well as the situation you are in.

Draft and freeboard

The term draft is referred to the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of ship’s hull. While the freeboard referred to the vertical distance between the waterline and the top of ship’s hull. There are marks on the ship’s hull known as draft marks which indicate the minimum depth of water on which a ship can safely navigate. Being a sailor, properly understanding these two terms is second to no tasks.

Nautical Miles and Knots

(Speed in knots (vs. miles per hour and kilometers per hour))
The term nautical miles refer to the distance covered by the boat, while the term knots referred to the speed of the boat. One knot is equaled to one nautical mile which is 1.852 kilometers per hour and 1.151 miles per hour. The term knot is symbolized as kn or kt and the term nautical mile is symbolized with the letter M by the International Bureau of Weight and Measures.

Variation and Deviation

The geographical North Pole and the magnetic North Pole are not exactly the same. As there are offset to one another, there are two different angular measurements. The difference between the degrees of these two north poles is called variation.
The electronic equipment such as loudspeakers, portable VHF, Mobile phones, Radio signals can also affect the magnetic field of your compass. This effect is called deviation and it can vary with the heading of the boat. For checking the deviation, you can plot a graph which that shows the changes in the direction of the boat. Learning these two terms are extremely important if you don’t want to be squandered into the giant sea.

Hull, keel, deck and superstructure

Before starting to sail in the deep blue sea, it is essential for any sailor to understand the giant structure of his vessel. Hull is commonly known as the watertight body of the ship, while keel is the beam around which the hull is to be built. The deck is the uppermost part of the hull where the main sailing operations are carried on. On the other hand, the superstructure is referred to the upward extension built on deck.

Head up and head down

Head up means changing the boat’s course towards the wind, while head down is referred to changing the boat’s course away from the wind.

Key takeaways

All these terms may help you to decide the best action to conduct while sailing. Moreover, these might help you to become a sailing pro.

Share your thoughts on sailing terms you used the most for sailing on to the deep blue ocean.

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